Donald Trump has warned he could still declare a national emergency as the now 19-day government shutdown over border wall funding rips the US government apart.

The President called talks with Democrats on Wednesday afternoon local time a “total waste of time”, the day after his Oval Office address did nothing to move the country towards a resolution.

Speaking to reporters about the tense meeting, Senator Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump stormed out following disagreements about the border wall.

“He said, ‘If I open up the government you won’t do what I want,’” said Mr Schumer. “That’s cruel, that’s callous, and that’s using millions of innocent people as pawns.

“A few minutes later, he sort of slammed the table, and when Leader Pelosi said she didn’t agree with the wall, he just walked out and said we have nothing to discuss. He said it was a waste of his time.”

Vice President Mike Pence denied Mr Schumer’s claims, saying Mr Trump never raised his voice or slammed his hand on the table.

In a national emergency, Mr Trump should be able to draft in defence department resources to build the wall, but this is likely to face a major court challenge.

Donald Trump visited the US Capitol on Wednesday, to shore up Republican support for his proposed border wall as the partial government shutdown drags into a third week. Picture: Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFPSource:AFP

Several foreign diplomatic missions were evacuated in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Canberra on Wednesday after they received packages containing suspicious substances.

Police, fire crews and ambulances were seen at a number of foreign consulates in Melbourne, including those of India, Germany, Italy, Spain and South Korea.

Officials at the U.S. and Swiss missions in the city said they had also received packages.

The Vic Emergency website, the collective body of emergency agencies in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, noted at least 10 “hazardous material” incidents in the city, though by Wednesday night none of those incidents was listed as ongoing.

There were no reports of anyone being injured at the targeted missions in both cities.

Victoria Police said they believed the incidents were targeted and did not impact the general community.

Australian Federal Police said in a statement that “the circumstances surrounding these incidents are being investigated.”

The ABC reported that a worker from the New Zealand consulate in Melbourne had said the packages in question were envelopes labelled “asbestos.” Inside were plastic sandwich bags containing a fibrous material.

Suspicious packages were also found at the Melbourne diplomatic offices of Pakistan and possibly those of Greece, France and Hong Kong.

A six week manhunt for a violent Victorian sex offender has finally come to an end after police arrested the man hiding out in a remote camping spot in the Snowy Mountains.

Christopher Empey, 46, will be extradited to Victoria after he was spotted by a member of the public on Wednesday at Tin Mine Huts in Kosciuszko National Park and was arrested about 5pm.

Empey is expected to appear in Cooma Local Court today, where detectives will apply for his extradition.

He was last spotted in December more than 380 kilometres away in Nowra on the NSW South Coast after fleeing Victoria to avoid the strict supervision conditions that come with being a registered sex offender.

He has been on the run since November 24 after authorities found his court-ordered GPS tracking bracelet smashed along the Hume Highway.

A day earlier he had skipped a court appearance to finalise a supervision order. He fled with $10,000 cash and his passport.

Empey was convicted of a violent rape in 2002, was released on parole in 2015 and was set to be placed on the Victorian sex offender register for 15 years.

A six week manhunt for a violent sex offender has come to an end in NSW.Source:Supplied

In Summary

On news.com.au today, a six week search for a Victorian sex offender has ended in NSW, a toddler has tragically died after being found unconsion in a pool in a Sydney backyard, and a man’s cheeky joke about strippers and drugs has backfired spectacularly.